China Maritime Report No. 27: PLA Navy Submarine Leadership - Factors Affecting Operational Performance

Authors

Roderick Lee

Files

Description

The way the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) selects and manages its submarine officers increases the likelihood of human performance errors onboard a PLAN submarine. First, PLAN submarine officers are selected from applicants with among the lowest college entrance examinations of any PLA educational institution, suggesting that PLAN submariners are among the service’s least talented officers. Second, the Party Committee system at the apex of decision-making aboard PLAN submarines may be less agile than other approaches to command, at least in certain circumstances. Lastly, while the policy of embarking flotilla leaders senior to the submarine captain may reduce some of the negative effects associated with the first two conditions, it could lead to reduced performance when senior leaders are not present. If external events during wartime stressed these factors, the likelihood of human-induced error events in the PLAN submarine force could increase substantially.

Publication Date

June, 2023

Publisher

China Maritime Studies Institute, U.S Naval War College

City

Newport, Rhode Island

Keywords

China, China Maritime Studies Institute, CMSI, People’s Liberation Army, PLAN, submarine, officer, leadership

Recommended Citation

Lee, Roderick, "China Maritime Report No. 27: PLA Navy Submarine Leadership - Factors Affecting Operational Performance" (2023). CMSI China Maritime Reports. 27.
https://digital-commons.usnwc.edu/cmsi-maritime-reports/27